Inspector Morse has become as central to the way many people imagine Oxford as punts or dreaming spires or Brideshead Revisited. On that basis alone this new stage play based on the character of Morse seems set to do brisk business at the New Theatre, although whether it deserves to do so is uncertain.

Alma Cullen, who wrote a number of episodes of the Morse TV series, has imagined that the famously surly detective witnesses a murder on a night out at an Oxford theatre, and must step in to solve the case. There is an exciting start as we watch the cast perform Hamlet before one of them drops dead, and Morse storms the stage to identify the killer.

After the first ten minutes however the whole production seems to wilt. The complexity of the plot means there are incredibly short scenes with constant exits and entrances, and characters are constantly dashing on and off stage in a blur of clues. Clunky and predictable jokes about mobile phones and DNA in the 1980s setting of the play also grate.

Those criticisms aside, the cast give some fine performances. Colin Baker, pictured, as Morse is believable and offers a softer and more likeable chief inspector than John Thaw. Elsewhere Andrew Bone gives a great performance as Lewis, playing him with a homely rough-cut charm, and the ensemble work convincingly together. This is a highly uneven show with a stilted script, and we are constantly told and not shown key information. Nevertheless, House of Ghosts does contain some good performances and moments of genuine tension. This is unlikely to win you over if you are not already a Colin Dexter fan. If the play has achieved anything, it is to show how brilliantly written the originals are. A play best enjoyed by those already confirmed Morse enthusiasts but best avoided by others.